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Berlin is great, but a warm summer’s day is calling for a trip to the countryside. Of all the lovely lakes in the vicinity, Schwielowsee is my favorite. You can take a swim, rent a boat, or use a stand-up paddle in the clear blue water of the shallow glacier snout lake. A great detour to take on this daytrip is to visit the scenic Caputh, which belongs to the city of Schwielowsee. The area was a favorite of Elector Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg, who had a palace built here in 1662 as a present to his wife, Dorothea. The electress had the palace revamped in the Baroque style and made it her summer escape. In the basement, there’s a cross vault grotto with approximately 7,500 Dutch tiles. The perfect place to chill when it gets too hot outside — and fun to look at as well. The industrially painted tiles were hand finished, so some of the templates are colored incorrectly — a shepherd becomes a “snail-herd,” while a bunny appears to be a naughty fellow. Once you’re ready to get back to the real world, take a stroll in the beautiful garden designed by Peter Joseph Lenné. (Text & Photos: Helen von der Höden)